Heartland Health Practice Report: Wednesday

Turning the tide

Wednesday’s morning practice was one of the more “chipper” practices of camp, to say the least. In fact, head coach Todd Haley referred to the session as a “glass half-full day.”

Many of the coaches were unhappy with the concentration level and tempo throughout the beginning stages practice, and their feelings about the matter were well-heard.

“Today was kind of all over the place in different areas,” Haley said. “You heard some people whooping and hollering and kind of recognizing it.”

But as the Chiefs slugged through what looked to have the potential of a lost work day, something clicked. The Chiefs moved into the live portion of practice and the energy level of camp went up exponentially.

“When we get to those competitive things, they have to find a way to amp it up,” Haley said. “Today, despite a less than perfect practice, I think that everybody felt the energy levels go up, and regardless of who won this drill, the energy level rose. I think that we got a little bit better today because of it.”

Sometimes it takes a live goal-line set to change directions. At least, that’s what it took today.

The first-team defense was amped-up after shutting down the first-team offense on three consecutive goal-to-go situations from the three-yard line. We actually heard “Dee-Fence…Dee-Fence” chants at times.

The second and third plays of the series were arguably two of the best defensive stands that we’ve seen all of camp. Here’s how the series went…

2) NT Ron Edwards shot his way through the line of scrimmage to trip-up RB Jackie Battle behind the line of scrimmage, while the rest of the defense pursued to finish the play.

3) S Eric Berry had the defensive sideline erupting after closing in from his safety post to meet RB Javarris Williams on a sweep just inches short of the pylon. Belcher did a nice job of stringing the play out to give Berry time to fill, and Berry’s pad level on the play resulted in a loud thud as Williams lowered his shoulder. The pylon actually moved on the play, but it was from the result of Berry and not Williams.

The second-team offense would get revenge with a play-action pas to FB Tim Castille that pulled nearly all of the linebackers into the line of scrimmage. The play inspired the offense to have words of their own following the celebration that defense put on after Berry’s stop of Williams.

The feel of practice definitely changed during the goal-line series.

“We made a step today, because we turned the tide,” Haley said. “However we did it. Whatever the catalyst was, it got going.”

The only news on the injury front Wednesday was the return of McGraw to the “rehab zone.” McGraw was part of the biking area on Monday, but returned to work out with the team during yesterday’s practice. Today, it was back to the bikes.

All of the other players were inactive yesterday, for one reason or another.

Wiegmann Eyes 10,000

When 15-year veteran Casey Wiegmann returned to Kansas City, he knew that a position battle with Rudy Niswanger for the Chiefs starting center loomed. That hasn’t changed. Wiegmann has received the first-team reps this week while the player that he once mentored, Niswanger, took the first-team snaps last week.

But on the line for Wiegmann is more than just a challenge for a starting role with the Chiefs front five; there is an incredible streak at stake as well.

Wiegmann currently has an unbelievable active streak of 9,078 straight offensive snaps played. He hasn’t missed a game, much less a snap, since Brian Waters made a spot-start at center way back on September 23, 2001.

Known for his blue-collar work ethic and quiet off-the-field demeanor, Wiegmann isn’t one for personal accomplishments. Regardless, the Cal Ripken-like streak is something that is never far from his mind.

“I take great pride in being out on the field and helping my teammates,” Wiegmann said. “A couple of years ago I decided that I wanted to try and make 10,000, so that’s another reason that I’m back here. But I know that I’m in a position battle with Rudy and its just part of the job.”

Wiegmann’s consecutive snaps streak is by far the longest active streak of any NFL offensive lineman. Going forward, it may never be topped; particularly with the size and speed of today’s NFL players. It’s an accomplishment that even Wiegmann struggles to find an explanation for.

“I don’t know how my body does it, and I think about it all the time,” Wiegmann said. “I don’t know. I’ve just been blessed.”

His best guess for rationalizing the ridiculously impressive streak is a foundation installed upon him as a high school player.

“I was brought up by a good high school coach that taught me the value of hard work and work ethic and you just keep going from there,” Wiegmann said.

Wiegmann’s high school coach was the late Ed Thomas, who was tragically murdered in the Aplington-Parkersburg High School weight room in 2009. Thomas helped churn out four active NFL players (Wiegmann, C Brad Meester, DE Jared DeVries and DE Aaron Kampman) despite a population in Parkersburg, Iowa of just 1,084.

Horne Goes Cruz

Rookie WR Jeremy Horne’s former college teammate Victor Cruz hit the national scene on Monday Night Football earlier this week. Like Horne, Cruz is a rookie free agent wide receiver out of UMass. In Cruz’s NFL debut on MNF he notched six receptions for 148 yards with three TDs, capped off by this one-handed grab.

Horne, on the other hand, has yet to log a preseason reception, but he’s gotten loose plenty of times in training camp and was open on two deep incomplete passes at Atlanta. Today, Horne had the catch-of-the-day with a very Cruz-like one-handed grab down the right sideline. He also caught another deep pass during 11 vs. 11.

“I’m going to try and keep up the UMass tradition, I guess,” Horne said after practice.

And about the continued success in the deep passing game?

“Got to do it in the game; that’s where it counts,” Horne said.

Though Haley was hesitant to put Horne’s overall training camp performance at a higher level than that of his fellow rookie free agents, he did indicate that Horne is turning some heads.